A visitor walks past a signboard on intellectual property rights protection during a trade fair in Beijing on May 29, 2016. Photo: IC

China's market regulator has released an action plan on protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), detailing major tasks for 2020 as the country steps up efforts to spur innovation and foster a better business environment.

More focus will be placed on major physical marketplaces with frequent IPR infringements, the Internet space and commodities that concern public health and safety, according to the plan released by the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The plan called for further improvements in law enforcement to make the process more effective and professional, with enhanced cross-regional cooperation and tougher punishments on illegal activities.

Collaborative law enforcement will be pushed in the Yangtze River Delta, Pan-Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said the plan, calling for better information-sharing mechanisms.

The administration also promised to enhance law enforcement training in cities and counties, as well as launching targeted campaigns to raise public awareness on the issue.

In recent years, Chinese authorities have intensified crackdowns on IPR infringements. The country moved up three slots in the World Intellectual Property Organization global innovation index ranking of 2019 to claim the 14th position. It ranked first in the upper-middle-income group.

China's business environment is also improving. In 2019, China saw its ease of doing business ranking ascend to 31 from 46 a year ago as one of the top 10 most improved economies, according to a World Bank report.